Ministry of Foreign Affairs presented an update on the organization of the elections abroad for the National Assembly and the European Parliament
23 May 2024 News
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivan Kondov and the Chairperson and Deputy Chairman of the Working Group ‘Elections’ in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs — Svetlan Stoev and Boryana Stoynova presented at a briefing today an update on the organization set up by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the upcoming elections for the National Assembly and the European Parliament outside the country on 9 June.
Deputy Minister Ivan Kondov highlighted as a challenge for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the fact that for the first time elections for the National Assembly and the European Parliament will be held abroad. ‘So far, all the deadlines under the Electoral Code have been met, both in the central office of the MFA and in our missions abroad’, Ivan Kondov stressed and expressed his gratitude to all the employees in the MFA and in our missions abroad and to the Central Election Commission for the very good cooperation. ‘We have all the permissions to hold elections from the states with permissive regimes. This time it really makes it easier for us because we do not have to wait until the last moment’, explained the deputy minister and reminded that according to the Electoral Code, elections for the EP are held in all open polling stations in the EU member states and in the other countries - only where Bulgaria has its diplomatic and consular representations. Deputy Minister Kondov informed that on Monday the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will start sending the election papers to our embassies. He specified that the voting machines were expected to be received between 27—29 May, after which they would be sent abroad.
The chairperson of the Working Group ‘Elections’ Svetlan Stoev said that 769 polling stations in 60 countries have been designated by a decision of the CEC. ‘The largest number of polling stations is in Türkiye — 166, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland — 118, Germany — 103, Spain — 64, the USA — 55, Greece — 28 (including resort towns in northern Greece and the islands), Italy — 27, the Netherlands — 24, Belgium and Canada — 16 each, Austria and France — 15 each. Elections for members of the European Parliament from the Republic of Bulgaria and for MPs will be held in 388 polling stations in 57 countries, with polling stations in Iceland, New Zealand and Singapore only for the elections to the National Assembly," Svetlan Stoev explained.
Machine voting will take place in a total of 245 polling stations — 109 in Türkiye; 36 in Germany; 31 in the UK and Northern Ireland; 13 in Spain; 10 in the USA; 7 in the Netherlands; 6 in Austria; 5 in France; 4 each in Belgium and Canada; 3 each in Greece, Cyprus and Switzerland; 2 each in Italy and Serbia and 1 each in Denmark, Ireland, Luxembourg, the UAE (Dubai), Portugal, the Czech Republic and Sweden.
Svetlan Stoev reminded of another important requirement of the Bulgarian and European legislation, according to which Bulgarian citizens residing in EU countries cannot vote for members of the European Parliament from the Republic of Bulgaria if they have exercised their right to vote in the elections for MEPs from the respective country, for which they will have to fill in a declaration on election day.
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